I've seen many more white pelicans around the Monterey Bay this year. They are 1/3 larger than our brown pelicans and love the waterways near our beaches. When you spot a group, spend a little time and watch how they fish. Unlike the graceful diving brown pelicans, the white pelicans have figured out an effective low effort fishing method. You won't catch them trying to dive for dinner. Good places to look for white pelicans along the Walk the Bay route are Zmudowski Beach, behind the dunes; Moss Landing Harbor, near Jetty Road; and, Saline Pond about 1 miles south of the mouth of the Salinas River, just off the beach over a small dune.
White Pelicans near Moss Landing
I’ve seen many more white pelicans around the Monterey Bay this year. They are 1/3 larger than our brown pelicans and love the waterways near our beaches. When you spot a group, spend a little time and watch how they fish. Unlike the graceful diving brown pelicans, the white pelicans have figured out an effective low effort fishing method. You won’t catch them trying to dive for dinner.
Good places to look for white pelicans along the Walk the Bay route are Zmudowski Beach, behind the dunes; Moss Landing Harbor, near Jetty Road; and, Saline Pond about 1 miles south of the mouth of the Salinas River, just off the beach over a small dune.
If you Walk the Bay, you won't miss seeing the two giant smokestacks that rise above Moss Landing. They are visible for much of the first two days of walking. What are they? And, what are they doing? The first power plant at Moss Landing started operation in 1950 with five small units. In 1964, units 6 and 7 started operation. Their stacks are the two tall ones that you can see at 500 feet high. Natural gas (methane) powered, using 1.2 billion gallons of water a day units 6 and 7 only operate June to September. The rest of the time two smaller, more efficient units operate. A company called Calera is making 10 ton test batches of cement a day by bubbling the effluent from the Moss Landing smokestacks through sea water. The CO2 combines with the calcium and magnesium in the sea water to make cement. Cement kilns in the US generate more CO2 than the airline industry and are the third largest emitter of CO2 in the country. Current processing emits 1 ton of CO2 for every ton of cement created. Calera’s process sequesters ½ ton of CO2 for every ton of cement created. Pull CO2 out of the air and sequester it in something we need... brilliant!!
The power plant is visible through the fog
If you Walk the Bay, you won’t miss seeing the two giant smokestacks that rise above Moss Landing. They are visible for much of the first two days of walking. What are they? And, what are they doing?
The first power plant at Moss Landing started operation in 1950 with five small units. In 1964, units 6 and 7 started operation. Their stacks are the two tall ones that you can see at 500 feet high. Natural gas (methane) powered, using 1.2 billion gallons of water a day units 6 and 7 only operate June to September. The rest of the time two smaller, more efficient units operate.
A company called Calera is making 10 ton test batches of cement a day by bubbling the effluent from the Moss Landing smokestacks through sea water. The CO2 combines with the calcium and magnesium in the sea water to make cement. Cement kilns in the US generate more CO2 than the airline industry and are the third largest emitter of CO2 in the country. Current processing emits 1 ton of CO2 for every ton of cement created. Calera’s process sequesters ½ ton of CO2 for every ton of cement created. Pull CO2 out of the air and sequester it in something we need… brilliant!!
Sea lions love to hang out together on sandy beaches during the mating season in May and June. This year is quite a banner year for group sun bathing along the shores near the Walk the Bay finish line at Old Fisherman's Wharf. I took this shot yesterday on a beautiful Sunday morning. The only mammals more plentiful on this sunny weekend in Monterey were the humans.
Sea lions basking in the sun
Sea lions love to hang out together on sandy beaches during the mating season in May and June. This year is quite a banner year for group sun bathing along the shores near the Walk the Bay finish line at Old Fisherman’s Wharf. I took this shot yesterday on a beautiful Sunday morning. The only mammals more plentiful on this sunny weekend in Monterey were the humans.
Walk the Bay trip participants had a special inside look at one of the most fascinating scientific research centers on the Monterey Bay. Thanks to Johnny Machado, Graduate Program Assistant, our walkers toured the spectacular facility perched on the dunes overlooking the Bay. It was a special treat after walking 22 miles from Santa Cruz....only 18 more to Monterey! Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML) administers the Masters of Science program for a consortium of seven California State University campuses in northern and central California. An outfitted Marine Operations department, research diving program and state of the art equipment allow for cutting edge research in marine ecology, the biology of marine plants, invertebrates, fishes, turtles, birds and mammals, oceanography, and marine geology, chemistry, and biogeochemistry.
An inside look at marine research
Walk the Bay trip participants had a special inside look at one of the most fascinating scientific research centers on the Monterey Bay. Thanks to Johnny Machado, Graduate Program Assistant, our walkers toured the spectacular facility perched on the dunes overlooking the Bay. It was a special treat after walking 22 miles from Santa Cruz….only 18 more to Monterey!
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML) administers the Masters of Science program for a consortium of seven California State University campuses in northern and central California.
An outfitted Marine Operations department, research diving program and state of the art equipment allow for cutting edge research in marine ecology, the biology of marine plants, invertebrates, fishes, turtles, birds and mammals, oceanography, and marine geology, chemistry, and biogeochemistry.
One of the great benefits of Walk the Bay are the surprises one finds along the way. The latest discovery along our route is The Shakespeare Society of America world headquarters. Yes, in the sleepy, quaint, village of Moss Landing...a Shakespearean library, archive, and gift shop. The owner will give you a personal tour and tell you the how this unique location was chosen. For those of you who can't resist....have your photo taken out front.
Moss Landing Headquarters
One of the great benefits of Walk the Bay are the surprises one finds along the way. The latest discovery along our route is The Shakespeare Society of America world headquarters. Yes, in the sleepy, quaint, village of Moss Landing…a Shakespearean library, archive, and gift shop. The owner will give you a personal tour and tell you the how this unique location was chosen.
For those of you who can’t resist….have your photo taken out front.
